There’s no denying that a graphic designer is an integral cog in the digital marketing machine. Take them out and it’s impossible to keep this machine going. You need their time. You need their ideas. You need their services.

However, to get the maximum out of your graphic designer, it’s not enough to pay them in exchange of their creations. You need to establish a good relationship with them so they give their 100% and are able to craft something truly outstanding for you.

Building a sound client-graphic designer relationship requires effective communication though. Which means you should know what to say. And most importantly, what NOT to say! Trust me when I say this: most client-graphic designer relationships sour not because of money matters but due to the ineffectual communication between them.

And that is why our topic for today is things you shouldn’t ever tell a graphic designer! Professional graphic designers are tired of listening to these since they only halt the design process rather than add positively to it. So spare your graphic designer the headache and ensure you NEVER EVER tell them these 15 things-

1. ‘You are the designer. You know best what to do and what not to do.’

The graphic designer you hire might be an expert in their field but there’s only so much they can do on their own without any inputs from you. So if you don’t want to end up with something you don’t like, best give them all the inputs needed.

2. ‘Can you please do this for me quickly?’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2Vyr3Y9

Of course your graphic designer will do what you want them to. But what do you mean by quickly when you don’t know how much time your designer will take to complete the said task? Rushing your designer is only going to lead to a poor design. So have patience.

3. ‘We’re not done with the content, but can you do a first draft?’

Expecting your graphic designer to design a campaign without providing them the content is like asking them to look for a needle in a haystack. The content is of prime importance as it helps give direction to the designs your designer will create for you. So next time, ensure your provide them with the content before asking them to design.

4. ‘I want a design that creates a major impact.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2LQGvLv

Okay, what exactly does ‘major impact’ mean? What kind of impact? And on whom? Describing your design brief in vague terms will not help your designer capture and represent your vision in an exact manner. You need to provide your designer with the specifics for them to craft a design that has an ‘impact’.

5. ‘This looks very empty to me. Let’s make things bigger and bolder.’

Not all clients are familiar with the concept of minimalism. You see bigger does not always mean better and your graphic designer knows that. Sometimes, minimalistic concepts are better able to convey your brand’s image. Please don’t confuse minimalism with barebones graphics. Minimalism is a technique that helps in communicating your brand’s message in a subtle yet strong way.

6. ‘Just do whatever you think is right. I trust your skills.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2WbFzoX

Unfortunately, designers are experts, not magicians. They are not mind-readers either. They won’t be able to figure out your exact requirements just because they are skilled. As mentioned before, they need a detailed design brief for them to work. Otherwise you just pressurize them unnecessarily by trusting them to read your mind.

7. ‘Come on do it. It won’t take more than a minute of your time!’

Read carefully: graphic designing is not a two-minute job that’s completed in a series of easy clicks. Designing can take a whole day or maybe even longer, depending on the type of design. So trust the professional graphic designer you’ve hired and let them tell you how much time a task will take instead of the other way round.

8. ‘Possible to create several copies of this design? We’ll know which one to pick once we look at all the different versions.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2VFtUiG

Do you ask your interior designer to do up your room multiple times before you decide which way you like it best? Nope. So why do you ask your graphic designer for multiple designs? Graphic designing is a very time-consuming process that requires a lot of effort. Instead of asking for multiple designs, brainstorm ideas together to come up with a clear vision for the design.

9. ‘Why don’t you just copy the logo from my website?’

Logos present on the website are generally of a much lower resolution and hence, of no use to your designer. In order to design your brand campaign, your graphic designer will need a high quality image of your logo. And trust me, you don’t want to skimp on it. Not only will a low resolution logo image hamper the design but also affect your brand identity.

10. ‘We can’t pay you $$ at the moment. But working with us will give you a lot of exposure.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2XlKpO8

Of course exposure and publicity matter for a graphic designer, but they’re not the only thing that matter. Money is important too. And if you want your designer to be motivated to do your work, you’ve got to pay them, and pay them well. Asking your designer to work for a lower fee or for free is not an option.

11. ‘Can we use my favorite colors in the design?’

Color is one of the most important elements in graphic designing. It’s key to communicating your brand’s message. Plus, colors create a deep emotional impact on consumers as well. So expecting them to be your favorite color is not going to help your brand campaign. That’s why it’s best for you to leave critical details like color in the hands of your expert graphic designer.

12. ‘Can you send it across ASAP?’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2LPJ4xu

ASAP is such a relative term, it’s impossible to give a fixed number to it. ASAP might mean a couple of hours to you and a couple of days to your graphic designer. If you want something done urgently, set a specific deadline and convey it to your designer. They’ll prioritize it and do it accordingly.

13. ‘Take inspiration from this, but try not to copy it. Make it a little different but almost just the same.’

What? What does that mean? Are you asking your designer to take inspiration from someone? Well that’s okay, but you have to put your point across in clearer terms. Don’t use such confusing and vague sentences and waste their time. Give them clear-cut feedback and trust that they will do what’s best for your brand.

14. ‘Can you do it just like XYZ designer?’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2HygDyz

This is wrong on all levels! First of all, it’s a plagiarism request. Second of all, it’s an insult to the graphic designer you have hired. By asking them to copy another designer, you are belittling their skills, talents and their own unique style. So don’t ask them to copy someone else. Give them a clear brief and the freedom to come up with something brilliant on their own.

15. ‘It’s not that low a resolution. Seems to look just fine on my screen.’

You are not getting the particular design ready for your screen only right? You are getting it done for your customer’s screens, which frankly come in all shapes and sizes. And that means what looks good on your screen may not look good on theirs. That’s why you should listen to what your designer says. They’ll know best what works on all kinds of screens.

16. ‘There’s something that’s not working but I can’t put my finger on it.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2EekEr3

Again a ‘what do you mean?’ moment. When someone repeats this exact same line to you, would you know what to do next? Neither would your graphic designer. Precise feedback is very important for your designer as it helps them know what you expect out of them. While giving feedback, be as specific as you can so that that several reworks are not required.

17. ‘You will revise it as many times as I want, right?’

‘Unlimited revisions’ is a concept that does not exist. Almost all graphic designers put a cap on the number of free revisions they provide. Beyond that, revisions made are chargeable. So don’t expect your designer to perform ‘n’ number of revisions for free for you. They put their hard work into it too and they deserve to be paid for it.

18. ‘Everybody is our target audience.’

Image courtesy: https://bit.ly/2EekEr3

‘Everybody’ can never be any brand’s target audience. Almost no brand’s audience is everyone. Not Amazon, not Coke, not Apple – you know what I’m getting at. Even if your product is generic, you cannot target everyone in your brand campaign. Your designer won’t be able to come up with a design that fits. Ensure you specify your target demographic to your designer to get on-point designs.

A graphic designer’s job isn’t as easy as basic photoshopping a couple of pictures. It requires a great deal of creativity, time and effort. Do your designer a favor and make their life easier by not telling them the abovementioned things. Trust me, they’ll reward you with the most amazing designs for your consideration and patience.

Need A Professional Graphic Designer To Tell Your Brand Story? Digital Polo Has The Best Designers For You!

Your brand campaign is crucial for building brand and consumer relationship and you shouldn’t trust just about any graphic designer with it. You need a professional graphic designer who is able to understand your brief and churn out awesome designs for you! You’ll find graphic designers with the right skill set only at Digital Polo! With a dedicated in-house team of qualified and talented designers, choosing Digital Polo for all your designing needs is a no-brainer. Hire our graphic designers to get impressive designs at best prices!